WWE News: Reviews, Analysis and Rumors for Week of June 3
The angle has seemingly been dead for the past couple weeks, but with the announcement that Triple H would be appearing at No Way Out next Sunday to address his legal battle with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman, it appears as though Lesnar is well on his way to returning to WWE programming.
After feuding with John Cena, Lesnar was a hot topic in WWE circles, but he has since vanished to save his dates for other parts of the year. Many are already considering Lesnar's return to the WWE to be a failure, but perhaps things will pick up at No Way Out.
In addition to that news, there have been tons of rumors circulating over the past week. Everything from a Diva possibly leaving the company to a new WWE Championship design and even rumors regarding what might happen during RAW's 1,000th episode next month.
With so many injuries and suspensions currently plaguing the roster, there seems to be more speculation than usual right now. It may not be great for the product, but so much turnover certainly keeps things interesting for the fans.
Here are all the biggest stories and rumors emanating from the WWE for the week starting on June 3.
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Triple H Scheduled to Appear at No Way Out
1 of 5For the first time since confronting Paul Heyman a few weeks ago, Triple H will return to WWE programming at No Way Out, as he will talk about the lawsuits that have been filed against him by Heyman and Brock Lesnar, according to WWE.com.
Triple H had his arm broken by Lesnar over a month ago after he voided the contract that Lesnar had negotiated with John Laurinaitis. Lesnar hasn't shown up since, but Heyman has appeared periodically. Heyman poked and prodded Triple H during his last appearance, however, and that prompted Triple H to grab Heyman. Lesnar's business associate then said that he would sue Triple H for assault and battery.
My Take
As a Triple H fan, I am always glad to see him on television, and No Way Out will be no exception. It is quite obvious that his appearance will also lead to either Heyman, Lesnar or both showing up as well. I've never really liked Lesnar, but I was excited about the prospect of a Lesnar vs. Triple H feud when it first came into being. I believe that it can be a major draw for the company and it is something that can headline SummerSlam rather than the typical John Cena match.
Many fans have been extremely upset over Lesnar's departure from television, but it hasn't bothered me in the least. It was very apparent that Lesnar would be taking extended breaks over the course of the year due to the contract he signed. Fans are simply far too impatient and don't allow angles enough time to play out. I'm sure that the feud between Lesnar and Triple H will be perfectly fine and that everyone will look back and wonder what they were so worked up about.
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Kelly Kelly Possibly Done with WWE?
2 of 5With the Bella Twins having recently left the WWE and Kharma having yet to return, it's safe to say that the Divas division has gotten a bit thin. That lack of depth isn't going to be bolstered anytime soon, however, as Kelly Kelly has been granted time off by the WWE and may not return at all, according to Justin LaBar of WrestleZone.com.
Kelly has been traveling with the company full time since 2006, so the sentiment is that she believed that she needed to take some time off. LaBar is also reporting that Kelly has been taking some independent bookings under her real name of Barbie Blank as well, so that may be a clue that she won't be affiliated with the WWE much longer.
My Take
I'm not one of those guys who bashes the Divas division because it is en vogue to do, but I'm not sure that losing Kelly Kelly will hurt the WWE much if she decides to leave for good. There is no question that she gets a good crowd reaction and that she has improved in the ring, although she still has work to do, but based on how little the women are utilized anyway, I'm not sure that it really matters in the least.
Divas Champion Layla hasn't even been seen in the past couple weeks and the only Divas that have been used are Eve as John Laurinaitis' assistant and AJ in the CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane rivalry.
Kelly is great because her spreads for Maxim and other outside endeavors get the WWE some additional press, but her absence won't have any bearing on the product. I don't necessarily want to see Kelly leave, but she has done everything possible in WWE and can have a lot of success outside of the business.
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New WWE Championship Design Leaked?
3 of 5For months and even years, WWE fans have clamored for a new WWE Championship belt design. Many believe that John Cena's spinner belt is way overdue to be retired, and while there are constantly rumors about a new title, it has yet to happen. The wheels may finally be in motion, though, as WrestlingInc.com revealed a photo of the leaked design.
The design has yet to be confirmed by the WWE, but it seems plausible that this is indeed part of a new prototype. There is no time frame with regards to when the new belt will finally make an appearance, but I'm sure it can't come soon enough for most fans.
My Take
The general thought thus far has been that the new design is awful, and if that is the centerpiece of the belt, then I agree. I actually believe that the leaked photo is of a side plate rather than the main buckle, though. The shape of it doesn't seem conducive to a main belt logo, so I am going to assume that the majority is wrong in this instance and that it is, in fact, a side plate.
If that is true, then I have no problem with it whatsoever.
Based on how the Divas Championship and Tag Team Championships look, I'm not particularly confident in the WWE's ability to design a new, good-looking belt, but anything is better than the spinner at this point. That was played out years ago and it is too cartoonish to be the company's main belt.
The World Heavyweight Championship is simple and classic, but it looks great. Less is more with belt designs, so hopefully the new WWE Championship isn't too outlandish.
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D-Generation X Rumored to Reunite on 1,000th RAW Episode
4 of 5We haven't seen best friends Triple H and Shawn Michaels together since Michaels refereed Triple H's Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania. They may be reuniting in the near future.
According to Justin LaBar of WrestleZone.com, there are reportedly plans for HBK and Triple H to reform D-Generation X for one night only on the 1,000th episode of RAW on July 23.
There are also reports that Michaels might be Brock Lesnar's next victim in order to further the feud between Lesnar and Triple H. It isn't yet known for sure what will happen on the 1,000th RAW episode, but many former stars are expected to appear.
My Take
Seeing as Shawn Michaels is my favorite wrestler of all time, I am ecstatic that he might be making yet another appearance. The recent editions of DX obviously haven't been as good as the original, but Triple H and HBK are always great together, so this news can only be viewed as a positive. Michaels has been such a big part of RAW's history, as he has been there since the beginning, defeating Max Moon on RAW's first episode in 1993.
If Michaels is going to be used as a pawn in the feud between Triple H and Lesnar, it could be quite effective. Everyone loves HBK, so having Lesnar beat him down should get him immense heat.
I would also love to see The Undertaker get involved somehow. He, Michaels and Triple H shared a moment at WrestleMania, so perhaps he could save Michaels and Triple H and plant the seeds for a match vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania.
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Christian Expected to Appear at TNA's Slammiversary
5 of 5Intercontinental Champion Christian has always been known as a WWE guy, but he briefly left the company for TNA a few years ago in order to lighten his travel schedule. It looks as though Christian will be headed back to TNA, although it won't be in the capacity or for the length of time you might think.
According to Raj Giri of WrestlingInc.com, Christian is expected to appear at TNA's pay-per-view Slammiversary on Sunday. TNA president Dixie Carter made mention of it on Twitter, but it seems like this will just be a one-time appearance rather than anything substantial.
My Take
I'm a WWE guy through and through, but I don't have any issue with Christian making appearance. My best guess is that this is part of a trade off for TNA allowing Ric Flair to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony for the Four Horsemen. Christian was an impact player in TNA as Christian Cage and was their world champion as well, so it's understandable why the company would like to have him on one of their biggest shows of the year.
I can't imagine that Christian will do anything other than make a brief appearance, so it can't be anything but positive for WWE. They get a little crossover promotion and it doesn't cost them anything. Bringing in Flair for the Hall of Fame was a much bigger get anyway, so WWE will come out of this deal in the green as it so often does.
You have to wonder if this will lead to a more open working relationship between the promotions moving forward.
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